Six in the Stix

This is a race I had considered doing for a couple of years but the timing or weather never really lined up. This year Steve, Shaun & I decided to check it out. The format is a 6 hour race with a 12km loop of approximately 1200 ft of elevation gain.

We checked out the course on Saturday. There were a few punchy climbs near the beginning followed by one longer section with a short hike a bike to the top. The descent was a little rocky off the top and was really fun, fast and flowed well after that. It would be a challenging course for 6 hours.

When we arrived for race day the sky was overcast and it started to rain lightly. I was hoping it would clear up or things would get interesting. It was a relatively fast start but I tried not to get carried away and just settle into my pace. My lap times seemed to be fairly consistent for laps 1-4. I caught up to Steve on lap 4 and when I asked him how he was doing he said it may be "Four in the Stix"! Unfortunately he was having some cramping issues.

The weather was really random with showers, sun and wind. On lap 5 the rain started to come down hard. The rocks were pretty slick when I started the descent. I decided to dial the pace back. I didn't think it was worth having a crash and hurting myself. I actually thought about pulling the pin if the rain continued. Luckily the rain stopped as I headed out for lap 6 and it actually warmed up a little. I was looking at the time and knew I would only get one more lap after this one. I wanted to ride strong but smart. I passed one girl who was stopped in the bushes and thought there was still one ahead of me. I just kept grinding away.

Hit the timing tent one last time and grabbed a bottle of Infinit. The last lap was tough but I knew this was it. When I came into the timing tent the announcer said you still have time for another lap. I asked how much time I had and he said 40 minutes. I knew I would not make it as I had not turned a 40 minute lap all day. So I finished with 7 laps, 83km, 8300 ft gain, winning my category.

The solo champions!

It was a good race and well organized. A lot of strong competitors showed up, especially in the single speed category!

Shaun & I. Nice work on 3rd place for SS. 

Breck Epic 2013

The Breck Epic is a 6-day stage race starting and finishing in various locations in Breckenridge, CO. Over the 6 days we would travel roughly 240 miles and gain 40,000 feet of vertical all above 9,500 feet ! We would reach as high as 12,500 feet on the Wheeler Stage #5. Sound hard?! It was! Grab a beverage and read on.

This would be my second year racing the Breck. Last year I did it solo and this year I was teaming up with my husband Steve . Another change was racing my Specialized Fate 29er hard tail vs the 26er full suspension last year. I was looking forward to seeing how the race would unfold.

Stage 1, Pennsylvania Creek went well. We rode strong and just did our thing getting used to the elevation and terrain. We ended up taking the stage win in our category.  Stage 2, Colorado Trail was approximately 38 miles and 5,300 feet. It was game on from the start with the 2nd place team, Sean & Natalie. Towards the beginning of the race Sean & I were riding together in a tight single track section when all the sudden I clipped my bars on a tree and went down. Sean was nice enough to stop and make sure I was ok and grab my bike in time for it to stop rolling down the hill. So not only was this team fast they were also nice! We were together up until Aid #1 and lost sight of them after passing on a climb. We kept riding strong, as we knew they would be close behind. Also, it looked like some weather was coming in. Flash backs of last year's Stage 2 (rain start to finish) started to enter my mind. I started to descend the Colorado Trail pretty quickly to avoid any additional suffering. After the stage Steve told me he was setting a pretty fast pace. Nice! We ended up with another stage win!

Stage 2 start line

Stage 3, Guyot Loop was a big one! Lots of climbing as per usual here. We were off to a good start still back and forth with Natalie & Sean. There was a hike a bike section today that lasted about 20 minutes. Sean & Natalie got ahead on the descent but were still in sight until I dropped my chain. The chain ended up going on the outside of the big ring. We got that fixed and were back on the chase. It was a hard day getting hailed on twice and grinding out some tough climbs. Steve & I did not see our competition until towards the top of the last climb. We were not able to close the gap and they took the stage win beating us by 1:26. We still had the overall lead by roughly 5 minutes going in to Stage 4.

Duo Mixed Podium

Rob & Rick 2nd place 100+ Duo Men

Stage 4, was another big climbing day with 43 miles and 6,500 ft. Steve & I are were off to a good start leading the first climb and descent. Towards the end of the descent Steve said he thought my back tire was leaking. With Sean & Natalie right on our wheels I asked what we should do? We rode for a bit and then Steve said we should stop. My back tire had definitely lost some air. We looked to see if there were any noticeable punctures and could not see any. Steve hit it with some CO2 and we saw where the tire was punctured. He spun the tire and tried to get the Stans to seal it. Luckily that seemed to do the trick. Sean & Natalie had passed us as we were fixing the tire so now we had to burn some matches to catch up. I started to hammer away and we ended up eventually catching them. Sean was pulled over on the trail and he had flatted as well. Towards the top of Vomit Hill (yes that is the real name :) ) Natalie was on us again. They got ahead of us again. Steve & I rode as strong as we could but I think the fast pace we set after fixing my tire caught up with us. We took 2nd in the stage but still had the overall lead but it was only 27 secs! Yes, that is right 27 secs! It was getting interesting!

Great shot of Steve!

Stage 5, Wheeler Pass which would top out at 12,500 feet. It was another fast start with Steve & I taking the lead up the first climb. We zipped through Aid #1 with Natalie & Sean in hot pursuit. I was feeling pretty good on the first climb and the beginning of the hike a bike. The hike was approximately 40 minutes and tough! I was up front going as fast as I could. Some people started to pass me and Steve was saying words of encouragement behind me like "nice big steps". On the other hand Sean was making everyone feel better when he said "We only have 30 minutes left". Nice one! I really started to suffer with the elevation. Just before we were about to get on our bikes Sean & Natalie passed us. I told Steve I was pretty close to getting sick. Then I was offered the Bacon hand up! Really not helping the Vegan who was already queasy! I managed to keep it together and we were off the bikes again for the 2nd hike a bike section. We lost sight of "Team Long Legs" after that. We did our best on the descent but it was punishing on a hard tail. One stop on the way down as a guy had a crash. We wanted to make sure he was ok and he was after a few choice words. Hit the bike path then Aid #2. From there we got to the last punishing, never ending climb on Miners Creek Rd. It was completely unnecessary! I heard a lot of swearing and grunts around me. I guess it was comforting to know I was not the only one in the hurt locker. Shortly after we entered Peaks Trail Steve said "Yeah I think this is pretty much my least favourite stage". Another guy crashed hitting his knee right on a rock. Ouch! We stopped to make sure he was ok. We finally finished the stage which was a relief. As we came across the finish line I heard the announcer say the other team had put some more time into us. As Natalie would say "It was on until it wasn't". At the awards ceremony Steve asked Sean and Natalie if they wanted to ride "neutral" for the last stage. With an 11 minute lead and 3rd place about 3 hours back we knew positions would not change unless there was a mechanical or injury - not the way to win. They agreed which was cool.

Heading out of Aid #1

Steve's B-day. 

Stage 6, Gold Dust was a cake walk compared to the other stages. I woke up with a cold which kind of sucked but the "Twins" came to the rescue with some medicine for me at the start line. Glad we were taking things easy today.

Thanks "Twins" for all your help!!

Steve, Tim & Mike looking good for Stage 6!

We had a blast riding with Sean & Natalie enjoying the trails, getting to know each other, taking photos & videos and taking in the views. It was a beautiful day and a great way to end the race.

First climb of the day

At the top of Boreas Pass enjoying a beer!

Stage 7 was fun hanging out with friends and the other racers.  We enjoyed breakfast the next day with our team mates, Sean & Natalie and other friends.

Stage 7! Need I say more :)

Highlights include racing with my husband. He was so amazing to race with.  He was patient, supportive and made me work hard! Also, meeting Sean & Natalie, having the Twins cheer us on all week long and seeing our other team mates and friends do so well. Mike finished 4th overall in the 40+ Men and grabbed 2nd on Stage 4. Tim was 5th overall for Single Speed and 3rd on Stage 5. Rob and Rick were 2nd in the 100+ Men Duo. Kate Aardal was 2nd overall for Open Women and won the Enduro for women. 

Taking home 4 leader's jerseys was pretty awesome! Overall the Fate handled well and my times had really improved from last year (routes were not exactly the same but comparable). Thanks Specialized Canada for helping me out with the awesome wheels and my coach Shaun Taylor for kicking my butt! Overall a great race and good experience. Will I do it again? I may need a few more days to think about it :)

Meeting Todd Wells was pretty cool!

Thank you to everyone who supported us and made our success possible. My bike ran great thanks to Kham at Bow Cycle and Spencer at Speed Matrix who did my bike fit. My nutrition was great thanks to Infinit Nutrition Canada. Finally, thanks to Mike McCormack for organizing a great event!

The Lungbuster

The Lungbuster hill climb is a race in Fernie, BC. You start at the base of the Fernie Alpine Resort and finish at the top of the Timber Express Chairlift. You gain 2200 vertical feet in 6.9 kilometres. This was my fourth year doing the race and it is always a sufferfest! I was 2nd in 2011 and 3rd in 2010. I was hoping to get the win for women this year and beat my previous time!

This year the gravel on the road was looser than I had seen in the past, which made it even more of a challenge. The start was not as fast as the prior years, which was a nice change. I started near the front of the group and kept a pretty good pace.

The first section is tolerable until you start heading under the chairlift then it starts to get steeper and the suffering begins. About 10 minutes into it I looked back on one of the switchbacks and could see a few riders relatively close. I picked up the pace a little as I was leading for women and wanted to hold it. I just put my head down and kept the wheels turning reminding myself that the pain would be over soon. I passed a few guys then held my position, which I thought was around 5th overall. I could see the next two riders ahead of me the rest of the way. There is a short downhill section before the climb to the finish. I tried to ride that as fast as I could and headed up to the finish line. I was happy to beat my previous time, win for women and place 5th overall.

24 Hours Round the Clock 2013

This race in Spokane would be my 2nd 24 hour solo race of the year and my first race on my Specialized Fate. I was excited to see how the Fate would perform!

Steve & I headed down to Spokane on Friday to get our pre lap in and set up our pit area for the weekend. The course was in good shape with a few changes made including the addition of Little Vietnam as well as a new section Nelson's Nottingham, which was before the 5 minute hill. The course is a mix of 70% double track and 30% single track with 5 rock gardens but nothing super technical. A total of 24 kms with 1200 feet of vertical gain per lap.

Shaun arrived later in the afternoon and we headed back to our rental place for some dinner and prep work for the race. 

Our place in Spokane Valley

After having our morning coffee and breakfast we packed up and headed back to the race site. I knew it would be a hard race as Shaun, Steve & I were all unsupported. In addition, there would be some stiff competition with Monilee Atkinson, who was also coached by Shaun and an experienced and great racer. This was also the first time Steve & I would both be racing a 24 solo at the same time. Normally one of us would be in the pit supporting. It was going to be interesting.

I set up my lights and got my clothes ready to go for the night laps. I had filled twenty-five bottles of Infinit Nutrition the night before so I was good to go. 

The pit

Shaun & Steve getting ready to kick some butt!

We made our way to the start line and before I knew it the gun went off and the Le Mans start was on! Steve & I arrived back at our bikes at the same time and then he was off like a rocket and I never saw him again.

That is a lot of bikes!

Le Mans start

The first lap was congested near the beginning but spaced out nicely with the multiple double track sections. I felt pretty good and was happy with my pace for the first lap. I ended up racing another solo girl on that lap and for the next 3. I tried to ride smart and not get too caught up in it as it was still early in the race. But, it was on with the two of us coming through the timing tent under 30 secs apart. I did not see her again until the morning laps.

Loving the Fate 29er hardtail!

My first stop was to mount my lights which had to be on by 8pm. I grabbed a layer as well as it was starting to cool off. We had a few rain showers but luckily the dark clouds rolled away and that was all we had for rain.

It was not completely dark for  awhile so I just ran by Exposure Six Pack handlebar light for the first night lap. From that point on I stopped every lap to put more layers on. That really was not my plan but it gave me something to look forward to. Also it was getting really cold, you could see your breath. I ran into Shaun a few times back at the pit so we would have a quick chat to check in how things were going. He was doing well and said Steve was setting a good pace. The Elk Valley crew would also come over to make sure I was ok and to see if I needed anything.  The Fate was running awesome so all I needed was some lube on the chain and I was good to go. It was great to to have someone checking up on me.

Pushing into the night with my Exposure lights

One of the night laps when I came in Shaun was sitting in his lawn chair. I asked him what he was doing and he said" I am just staring at the stars". He seemed kind of out of it but ok so I headed back out. It turns out he went out too hard and needed to take a break for a couple of hours. A few laps later I discovered Steve in the back of our truck with a very blood shot eye. Up to that point he was killing the race and on track for a podium finish. However, when it came to the night he started to loose his vision with all the dust and smoke. Unfortunately he was forced to stop. That was very disappointing.

The last few hours in the dark got tricky with the heavy fog after Strawberry Fields. The morning laps were also starting to get tough and I was feeling beat up. When I came in just before 5:00am I was going to take my lights off but I found out they had to be on for another hour or so. Back out on the course and I was starting to really suffer now and feeling nauseous. I was sure glad to see Steve standing by the pit when I came in. He helped me take my lights off and I shed a few layers. I sat down for a few minutes and had some water and pepto bismol. I was hoping that would do the trick. Steve assured me I was doing well and that the race was now between Monilee & I. The results were showing at that time that I was 1 lap up. So I went back out and tried to do my best.

I started to feel better on the next lap but tired and feeling the legs. Each lap I would check in and I was told I was still 1 lap up. After lap 15 Steve said I would have to make it in before noon so I could go out for one more lap. I was not sure if I had 2 more laps in me but I had 1:45 to get in before noon. As I was riding I felt ok and towards then end of the lap I knew I would make it. I had about 10 minutes to spare. One final check in with the pit and I was told Monilee was now 1st and I would still have to go out again because the results were showing I was between 2nd & 3rd.

I headed back out but it was a very hard lap mentally and physically. I really was not sure if I was chasing anyone or what was going on. I just put my head down and did my best. After about half way into the course I felt like I was the only one out there riding. I barely saw anyone for the remainder of the lap. The sun was sucking all of my energy as it beat down on me on every climb. I finally made it to the final climb before the downhill to the finish. I was sure happy to see Steve & Shaun waiting for me! With 17 laps, a total of 410 kms and 25:29 hours of racing I was pretty much done. They congratulated me and said I finished 2nd. I was happy with the result knowing I raced as hard as I could. It turned out Monilee started to put time into me from lap 15 onwards. She got stronger in the morning and had a great race achieving a personal best on the course. Suzanne, the girl I was racing at the beginning also had a great day finishing 3rd.

2nd place finish with some wine and a cash payout!

It is really hard to understand what goes on during a 24 hour race. This was my fourth solo race and each one brings different challenges. They are all hard in their own way. This one I would definitely rank high on the suffer meter! It has been 2 weeks since the race and the sore legs, swollen feet, and exhaustion are starting to go away. I look back at the race with no regrets and a sense of accomplishment. I had no bike issues so I was able to ride the hardtail for the entire race. It was sure fast and handled awesome in the rocky sections.

I want to thank Steve for getting me through the morning laps, Shaun for his support and encouragement, the Elk Valley pit crew, my sponsors and last but certainly not least the amazing volunteers and other racers who were so enthusiastic for the entire race!

Specialized Fate

I have made the switch from a 26er full suspension to a 29er hard tail. It is not easy to find a 29er that fits correctly when you are 4 11". However, when I came across the Specialized Fate's women's specific geometry and test drove the bike I knew it would be a great fit. I did a custom build with the Fate Comp frame, 2 x 10 XX drive train, Sid XX World Cup Fork, XTR brakes, and Specialized Fast Trak Control 2.2 tires. 

I went to Speed Matrix last week to have the bike fitted. Spencer spent a lot of time on my cleat position as well as getting the front end of the bike in a good position. Coming from a 26er the bike is quite a bit different so we were playing around with the stem length and angle. He got it dialled in and I have ordered the S-Works CLP multi stem to get in the ideal position.

Last week I got some good miles in on the bike. Of course it took a few rides to get used to the bike but right away I loved it. The descents and road sections were notably faster. I am getting in tune with how it climbs and it certainly rolls over roots well. I look forward to putting the bike to the test at the Spokane 24 hour Round and Round race this coming weekend.

Thank you to Specialized Canada for sponsoring me this year and to Bow Cycle for all their support.